1861: The Civil War Awakening

By: Adam Goodheart

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 18 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

As the United States marks the 150th anniversary of our defining national drama, 1861 presents a gripping and original account of how the Civil War began.

1861 is an epic of courage and heroism beyond the battlefields. Early in that fateful year, a second American revolution unfolded, inspiring a new generation to reject their parents' faith in compromise and appeasement, to do the unthinkable in the name of an ideal. It set Abraham Lincoln on the path to greatness and millions of slaves on the road to freedom.

The book introduces us to a heretofore little-known cast of Civil War heroes - among them an acrobatic militia colonel, an explorer's wife, an idealistic band of German immigrants, a regiment of New York City firemen, a community of Virginia slaves, and a young college professor who would one day become president. Adam Goodheart takes us from the corridors of the White House to the slums of Manhattan, from the mouth of the Chesapeake to the deserts of Nevada, from Boston Common to Alcatraz Island, vividly evoking the Union at this moment of ultimate crisis and decision.

©2011 Adam Goodheart (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Winner, History, 2012

“With boundless verve, Adam Goodheart has sketched an uncommonly rich tableau of America on the cusp of the Civil War. The research is impeccable, the cast of little-known characters we are introduced to is thoroughly fascinating, the book is utterly thought-provoking, and the story is luminescent. What a triumph.” (Jay Winik, author of New York Times best-sellers April 1865 and The Great Upheaval)

"Engrossing .... Tension is palpable on every page .... Goodheart's book is an impressive accomplishment, a delightful read, and a valuable contribution that will entertain and challenge." ( Harvard Magazine)

"Exhilarating ... inspiring ... irresistible ... 1861 creates the uncanny illusion that the reader has stepped into a time machine." ( New York Times Book Review, cover review)

"In his marvelous book... Goodheart brings us into 19th-century America, as ambiguous, ambitious and fractured as the times we live in now, and he brings to pulsing life the hearts and minds of its American citizens." ( Huffington Post)

“Jonathan Davis's narration sets the scene with hints of foreboding, creating a feeling of tension about the impending war. He draws listeners into stories of people like recaptured slave Lucy Bagby and future president James Garfield….Goodheart's meticulous research and lively writing will appeal to any history buff.” ( AudioFile)

"Beautifully written and thoroughly original--quite unlike any other Civil War book out there." ( Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

Solid

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Good book for history buffs, I would recommend it.

What did you like best about this story?

The author focused quite a bit on the events leading up to the war which I especially enjoyed.

What about Jonathan Davis’s performance did you like?

Well delivered, pleasant voice.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

N/A

Any additional comments?

N/A

Reads like fiction

It is a rare book that makes history so real and heartfelt. Even though I'm familiar with the subject matter I have never felt the crushing sadness of the war and of the people of the time. This book made history feel personal and contemporary.

Rambling mess

I find the topic very interesting, but this book seems to jumps all over the place. It starts talking about the man in charge at Ft. Sumpter, then jumps to some revolutionary war veteran, then jumps to the political climate of 1850s Ohio with no clear lead up to why it is relevant. I get so annoyed about it I have to turn it off. I think skip this one.

Enjoyable and informative.

This was a very well researched book which dispels some long held myths from the time of the civil war.
We tend to think of Abraham Lincoln as a saint. It is interesting to know that he was not initially a popular president, and that he had to grow into his job.
The only criticism I would have is that it almost ignored some of the things besides slavery that contributed to the war.
I did find it very interesting that some of the same issues and the current political climate seem to be very similar to those in 1861.
I was also very interested in the explanation of how the southern states succeeding was different in Lincoln’s mind than the original colonies separating themselves from England. That cleared up a question I had from the time I was in elementary school and studied the civl war for the first time. I had never received a satisfactory answer before. For that I thank you, Jonathon Davis, profusely.
I recommend this book to all adults of the United States of America.

Excellent

Learned a lot of new information on such an important year in USA’s history. Hopefully 1861 will be remembered as the year of the start of the second phase of the American Revolution.

Interesting

Is there anything you would change about this book?

While the overall concept of the book is very interesting, the trivia became tedious at times.

A Deep Dive Into an Early Year of the War

1861 takes an in-depth look into the beginning year of the civil War. Focusing first on fort Sumter, the author looks before the first shots of the war were fired and at how the situation came about, decisions made, and even how they ended up at that Fort in the first place. Then Goodheart takes us back to the beginning of the tumultuous year and we learn of key players throughout the nation who’s decisions and actions laid the foundation for the next several years of war. From the Freemonts in California whisepastor friend some say was the main reason for keeping the state in the union, choices made between the governor and the Army in St. Louis, and even a fort commander holding a few acres in Virginia, so many people that are rarely talked about who played vital roles on stage both large and small. Well some of the information was very familiar to me, there was much that I either had never heard of or had never heard talked about so in depth before. As for the narration, I found Jonathan Davis to be very easy to listen to. His attempts at reading quotes in the vernacular and with proper accents helped to not only keep your interest but also to focus on those accounts from people of the time period. A wonderful book that I know I will definitely revisit again.

Excellent and eloquent social & political history

Excellent balance of the facts and the feel of this moment in American history
Highly recommend, as a social as well as political histoey

Great narrator, hard to follow story.

The narrator is great. The story is hard to follow as it jumps around alot in the timeline and really cuts up the histories of many different people.
As with many historical writings, the author imposes today's moralistic views upon yesteryears figures and events. Overall a good overview of the pollitical landscape leading up to the civil war, if you can piece together all the stories told throughout the book.

amazing book recounting untold stories of history

this was a great book. presentation was fantastic. The stories told with all the undercurrents and political intrigue as well as social backstories provide an insight into how history is really made. the great leaders of history our little more then common men and women who might be in the right place at the right time or the wrong place at the wrong time. the influence and situations they are presented with and those people stories are just as important as the ones we see in our school books. perhaps even more so as they make you wonder how you would respond in these situations knowing that those that we seem to place on a pedestal are really no different then the masses and any one of us could be put in that situation and end up placing not only our own lives but our community or country on a certain course.